Card game.



J. GULP. CARD GAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2, 1914.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

YELLOW :i BLUE 3 wmTE 2 RED JOHN W. CUL?, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

CARD GAME.

Application lefi .April 2, 1914. Serial N o. 823,012.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, i914.

To all whom t may concern 'Be' it known that I, JOHN W. CULI?, a

citizen of the' United States, residing at South Bend, in the countyof Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card Games, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to an improvement in games, and particularly to a series of game playing elements,'such as cards, blocks, or the like, arranged in distinct-ive series by characteristic face markings, with all of such elements having back markings identical one with another except in asingle detail, as for example, insize, the selection of the cards in the playing ofthe game being controlled by the back markings.

The improved game contemplates a pack .l or number of cards, blocks or the like. a1'- ranged in series, the cards of each series having distinctive face markings, as for ex ample, successive numerals or letters, with such face markings of one 'serles distin- 4guished from the similar face markings of each of the reniaining series by variation in color, the back markings of all of such cards, blocks or Othe like, being identical, one with another, except in a slight particular, Whereby each element differs from every element.

The invention in the preferred form of 4details will be described in the following specification, reference 'being had particularly to the accompanying drawings,' in

which V Figure l represents a Jface view of a series of playing elements used inthe improved game. Fig. 2 is a back view" of the same elements.

In accordance With the illustration here with, it will be seen that I .provide a number of playing elements, such as cards, blocks or the like, as 1, Which elements are divided into distinctive series, for example 2, 3, 4, and 5. The elements et each series bear on their face distinctive data, in the instance shown being numbered successively .from l to 5, the data of one series being distinguished from the similar data of each of the other series by distinctive coloring. In the instance shown. the data 6 of series Will be in red, the data of series 3A in White, the data of series 4l in blue, and the data of series 5 in yellow.

The backs of the respective elements are each of exactly similar marking except in one particular, and in the instance shown the .backs o'i" all of the elements will have' a color strip 47 arranged transversely thereof with the upper and lower marginal edges' slightly divergent. The degree of diver* gence is" uniform throughout the ventire number of playing elements used, so that with the cards or other elements arranged edge to edge as shown, the back marking indicates a proportional increase for each successive card or element of each series. AThat is, the-` back marking increases in size through eachV series inV accordance with thev value of the face marking of the elements of that series, the lowest or first card of each sieries having the smallest back marking of that series, and so on throughout the series.

In playing the game, the cards, blocks or other elements are placed face donn and mixed thoroughly. The players, each being limited to the cards of one series, aims to Aselect a card from the mass in his series, relying solely upon his ability to distinguish his series by the comparatively slight variation in the back marking of the cards of his series from the remaining cards.' It the card selected belongs in the series controlled by the 'particular player, the card :is retained by such player, but if the card selected be-l longs in another series, it is left face upward to be selected at will by thed player to whose s-eries it belongs. There is thus provided a penalty for the selection of the wrong card. The player irst completing the cards in his series is the winner.

It is of course to be understood that the above description and illustration is indicative or' the general arrangement of the face and back markings of the improved playing elements, and that the distinctive feature of the invention is the arrangementof thevfaee mark-ings in distinctive series and the arrangement of the back marking in practically identical formation, 7ariable in a slight particular only. I contemplate any and all variations ofthe arrangement, as for example, making the elements in the form of blocks having the face markings of the alphabet, With the` blocks themselves ot slightly different and proportionally increased sizes.- Any desired face marking may be used and any desired back marking so long as the respective elements in such hack marking differ-slightly one from another ln their successive order.

What is claimed iszl. A serie's of gaine playing elements having back vnizukings of similar and proportional variation throughout the set oisucli elements.

2. A- series of game playing elements having similar back markings, said markings being distinguishable by size variation only 3. A' series of game playing cards having similar back markings, said markings 1ncreasing in size and inA direct proportion' throughout the series of caids.

Copie of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by a'dccssng Washington, D. C."

the Commissioner oi Patents, 

